Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage
Baked ziti with Italian sausage is a comforting, cheesy dish that brings warmth to any occasion. Picture layers of tender ziti pasta enveloped in rich marinara sauce, savory Italian sausage crumbles, and gooey melted mozzarella cheese. This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for family dinners or gatherings, sure to impress every guest at your table. Enjoy it fresh out of the oven paired with garlic bread for an unforgettable meal.
Ingredients
- 12 ozziti pasta
- 1 lbitalian sausage (spicy or mild)
- 24 ozmarinara sauce
- 15 ozricotta cheese
- 3 cupsshredded mozzarella cheese (whole milk)
- ½ cupgrated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cupfresh basil or parsley (chopped)
- 1 tspgarlic powder
- 1 tsponion powder
- 2 tbspolive oil
Directions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- 2
Boil a large pot of salted water; cook ziti until al dente, then drain.
- 3
In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté the Italian sausage until browned.
- 4
Add marinara sauce to the sausage and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- 5
In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese with garlic powder, onion powder, and herbs.
- 6
Layer in a baking dish: start with pasta, add half the sausage mixture, dollops of ricotta, then mozzarella. Repeat layers.
- 7
Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan before baking for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
- 8
Let cool for five minutes before serving.